Thomas millen



N0. 608,6l7. Patented Aug. 9, l898i. T. MILLEN.

CAR STEP LIFTER.

(Application filed Mar. 1, 1898.)

(No ModeL) WITNESSES INVEN TOR M By A TTUHNEY THE Noam PETERS co,PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTQN, by c ATE . r tries,

THOMAS MILLEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-STEP LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 608,617, dated August9, 1898, Application filed March 1, 1898. $eria1 No: 672,158. (No modeh)To (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS MILLEN, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Step Lifters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what may be termed oar-step lifters-in otherwords, a device which is situated at the front or rear platform of astreet-car and so arranged as to fold the lower step on that side of thecar which is not in use, as will be hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,my invention is fully illustrated, with similar letters of reference toindicate corresponding parts, as follows:

Figure 1 represents a View looking toward the end of the car, showingthe lifting device in side elevation and end view of the step A, thestep being down and in position for use. Fig. 2 is a similar Viewshowing the step raised and folded against the step-hangers N as it willappear when not in use. Fig. 3 represents a side view of the liftarm H,showing the manner in which the handle K is placed on the hook S,situated on the inside of the dash.

It has been the custom heretofore to fold the steps up by hand andfasten them with a hook at each end of the route, it being necessary forobvious reasons to havethe step on the inside of the car-4. 6., thatside which passes the opposite-going car-folded up out of the way, so asto give more space between two passing cars, and it is also quitenecessary at times, when passing trucks or wagons in crowdedthoroughfares, to close the outside step until a vehicle or obstaclewhich may be in close proximity is passed and then lower the step again.

The construction of my device is to place a hanger, as a, under theplatform Aof the car and place in the hanger a crankarm, as D. The steprests upon the hinged brace e, which is provided with a vertical arm, asF, the upper end of which -:is connected to the crank l) by means of thelink G. To the opposite end of thecrank D is connected the liftingarmH,whieh passes through the platform A of the car and is provided with ahandle, as K, upon the platform. Thus the operation of the device issimply for the motorman to lift up the handle K to the extent shown inFig. 2. This throws the step A up against the stephangers N, asillustrated. The handle of the lift H is then simply placed over a hookprojecting on the inside of the dash, and thus holds the step in thisposition.

When it is desired to lower the step, the handle K is lifted off thehook and pushed down, which places the step in position for use again.It will be thus seen that the operation of the device is very simple andthat the lifting and lowering of the step is entirely Within theimmediate operation of the motorman. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A step-lifting device consisting of the crank D, trunnioned to asuitable hanger as c, crank D linked to the vertical arm F of the hingedstep-rest e, substantially as de scribed.

2. A step-lifting device consisting of the hinged step-rest e, hinged tothe hanger N,

and provided with a vertical arm F and adapted to be drawn downward bysuitable means as crank D linked to the arm F, thereby folding the stepup against the hanger N,substantially as described.

3. In a step-lifting device the combination of the crank D, lift-arm Hand hanger c with the link G and hinged step-rest 6, provided with thevertical arm F, and hinged to the hanger N and arranged to operatesubstantially as described.

In testimonythatl claim the foregoing im-= provement in car-step liftersas above described I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day ofFebruary, 1898.,

THOMAS MILLEN,

Witnesses:

E. W. PERRY, G. F. BADGER,

